North Korea’s lead Kim Jong Il wrapped up the country’s biggest political conference in over three decades by concreting his family’s position of power.
The secretive communist nation is abuzz with talk about Kin Jong Il’s little-known son, Kim Jong Eun taking his first positions of power within the country’s political apparatus. The day before the conference, he was promoted to the rank of four-star general, along with Kim Jong Il’s sister.
It is obvious the 26 or 27 year old is being groomed for power, with Kim Jong Il naming him Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission as well as to the Worker’s Party’s Central Commission.
The mystery surrounding the young man is almost complete, with little known about his person except he went to school in Switzerland. In fact before the announcement of his promotion to general, followed by his two new positions in the government, Kim Jong Eun was never mentioned in the North Korean media.
Politics is obviously being kept in the family, as ailing leader Kim Jong Il secures the family dynasty with key positions in government held by family members. If Kim Jong Eun succeeds his father, which he is widely expected to do without contention, he will be the third line of the family to rule the country.
Kim Jong Il’s brother in law, Jang Song Taek, who is also National Defense Commission Vice Chairman, is expected to be interim leader of North Korea if Kim Jong Il dies before Eun is ready to assume power, taking a role of regent-of-sorts for the young heir.
